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A Book Lover's BlogFri, 21 Jul 2017 12:30:11 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.563492124RinnReadshttps://feedburner.google.comProse & Pixels #16: A Journey Through Middle-earthhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RinnReads/~3/m8mN-Rk0PLo/
https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/21/prose-pixels-16-journey-middle-earth/#respondFri, 21 Jul 2017 12:30:11 +0000https://rinnreads.co.uk/?p=5101Prose & Pixels is a feature that combines two of my loves: books and video games. Here I’ll discuss all sorts of things to do with the two, whether it’s recommendations, influences or just a good old chat. I have previously used this feature to talk about The Lord of the Rings Online, and used […]]]>

Prose & Pixels is a feature that combines two of my loves: books and video games. Here I’ll discuss all sorts of things to do with the two, whether it’s recommendations, influences or just a good old chat.

I enjoyed this feature and how I was able to bring video games into the blog a bit more, and also write about Middle-earth. In February, I started playing again, and started all over on a new server. Instead of continuing what I was doing before – going through the books in order and comparing scenes with the game – I’d like to just share my progress, comment on the areas I visit as I play and any secrets I might find.

Now, what I want to know is this – is this something you would be interested in seeing on the blog?

]]>https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/21/prose-pixels-16-journey-middle-earth/feed/05101https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/21/prose-pixels-16-journey-middle-earth/Review: Notes from the Upside Down – Inside the World of Stranger Things by Guy Adamshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RinnReads/~3/iVp-r2ESLlM/
https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/16/review-notes-upside-inside-world-stranger-things-guy-adams/#commentsSun, 16 Jul 2017 11:35:00 +0000https://rinnreads.co.uk/?p=5098I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Notes from the Upside Down - Inside the World of Stranger Things by Guy AdamsSeries:standalonePublished byTouchstone on 29th August 2017 Genres:Non-FictionPages: 240 Format:HardbackSource: the publisher Goodreads

Jump inside the world of Stranger Things and discover everything you need to know about the hit TV show.

Grab your Eggo waffles and get ready for a visit to Hawkins, Indiana—just don’t forget the fairy lights!

If you devoured Stranger Things on Netflix and you’re looking to fill the demogorgon-sized hole in your life, then look no further than Notes from the Upside Down. This fan-tastic guide has every fact you could ever wish for—from insights into the origins of the show, including the mysterious Montauk Project conspiracy theory; a useful eighties playlist (because, of course); and much more.

As soon as Stranger Things was released on Netflix, I watched it all in two or three days. There’s just something about the show – the 80s setting, the dark science fiction theme, the soundtrack, the incredible cast… I love it so much and try and make EVERYONE watch it. Hence why I was interested in reading a book about the show.

Unfortunately, this book does not do the show any justice. It is fan written, and not at all linked to anyone who worked on the show. The formula of each chapter soon became very repetitive: a detailed recap of each episode (which felt so unnecessary, I don’t need each episode described frame by frame thanks), some bonus information such as inspirations, music etc, and then ‘homework’ questions (basically a small quiz about the episode, with things you’d only notice if you’d read the questions before watching).

I appreciate that the author is a big fan of the show, and he tried to inject some humour into the book as well, but it just completely missed and felt a little ‘try hard’. I don’t think I would recommend this book, even to the biggest Stranger Things fans.

]]>https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/16/review-notes-upside-inside-world-stranger-things-guy-adams/feed/25098https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/16/review-notes-upside-inside-world-stranger-things-guy-adams/Thoughts #62: An ARC Related Conundrumhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RinnReads/~3/qw2AsYmfQYI/
https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/11/thoughts-62-arc-related-conundrum/#commentsTue, 11 Jul 2017 11:30:46 +0000https://rinnreads.co.uk/?p=5093Recently, I received an unsolicited review copy from a publisher, that was the third book in a science fiction series. Whilst I have read the first book, I haven’t read the second. This has happened a couple of times – I’ve been sent books that are halfway through a series, or I receive the first […]]]>

Recently, I received an unsolicited review copy from a publisher, that was the third book in a science fiction series. Whilst I have read the first book, I haven’t read the second.

This has happened a couple of times – I’ve been sent books that are halfway through a series, or I receive the first and then a later installment. And this got me thinking: what do my fellow reviewers do when they receive a book that’s part of a series, and they haven’t yet read the previous installments?

I’m a bit torn about this. Firstly, it was an unsolicited review copy, not one I’d asked for, so I don’t feel there’s as much pressure to review it. But I also really love this particular publisher, and appreciate the crazy amount of books they’ve sent me over the past (almost) five years. I suppose I would have a few options here:

do not read the book

offer the book to a fellow blogger who has read books one and two, so that they can provide the publicity I cannot

buy or borrow the second book in the series as soon as possible, so that I can catch up before reading the third

just read the third as it is and review it, but then chances are I won’t enjoy it as much as I’ll have missed out a whole chunk of the story

read the third book after reading a detailed plot synopsis of the second book – but I don’t like the idea of this because what if I have a chance to read the second book later on? And it kind of feels like cheating

keep the book, read the second if I can get round to it but do not rush or prioritise it, as it was an unsolicited review copy

To be honest, the last option feels like the best one for me. I’m already quite behind on reviewing books I requested (story of my life), so this doesn’t feel like a big priority. It still leaves me feeling a bit guilty though!

Have you ever been in this situation? What did you do, or what would you do in my shoes?

]]>https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/11/thoughts-62-arc-related-conundrum/feed/55093https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/11/thoughts-62-arc-related-conundrum/Review: A Mighty Dawn (The Wanderer Chronicles #1) by Theodore Brunhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RinnReads/~3/IG9iVMuazas/
https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/06/review-mighty-dawn-wanderer-chronicles-1-theodore-brun/#respondThu, 06 Jul 2017 11:30:22 +0000https://rinnreads.co.uk/?p=5088I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.A Mighty Dawn by Theodore BrunSeries:The Wanderer Chronicles #1Published byCorvus on 2nd March 2017 Genres:Fantasy, Fiction, Historical FictionPages: 608 Format:HardbackSource: the publisher Goodreads

Hakan, son of Haldan, chosen son of the Lord of the Northern Jutes, swears loyalty to his father in fire, in iron, and in blood. But there are always shadows that roam. When a terrible tragedy befalls Hakan's household he is forced to leave his world behind. He must seek to pledge his sword to a new king. Nameless and alone, he embarks on a journey to escape the bonds of his past and fulfil his destiny as a great warrior.

Whispers of sinister forces in the north pull Hakan onwards to a kingdom plagued by mysterious and gruesome deaths. But does he have the strength to do battle with such dark foes? Or is death the only sane thing to seek in this world of blood and broken oaths?

A Mighty Dawn was offered to me by the publisher, because of my love for archaeology and history. The book itself is written by an archaeologist, specialising in the Dark Ages. I have to say the fact that the publisher clearly researched bloggers with these kinds of interests really impressed me, and immediately warmed me to the book.

The story follows Hakan, the young heir to the Lord of the Northern Jutes. His life seems calm, uneventful – until one day, their village is struck by tragedy, and Hakan leaves, unable to bear his grief. I have some familiarity with the history and mythology that this book is based around, but I feel that any reader would understand Hakan’s world regardless of their background knowledge. However, there were some instances of unexplained terminology, and it would have been nice to fully understand these.

The battle scenes in this book were so well-written, I found myself flying through the pages and following the action with bated breath. It was easy to read, but also so gripping and somehow even managed to drag me away from Mass Effect: Andromeda – an impressive fate when it’s a game I’ve been anticipating for years.

With a truly detestable antagonist, a dark historical fantasy setting and the genuine feeling that the protagonist is slowly crumbling away and perhaps slightly losing his mind, A Mighty Dawn was an enthralling read that should appeal to all fans of the genre. It is a shame that I felt less drawn into the story during the second half, but following Hakan along on his journey from the heir of a lord, green in battle, to something very dark and twisted, kept me reading.

If you’re interested in this period of history or want something a little dark, or a historical fantasy, then this is a great choice for your next read!

]]>https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/06/review-mighty-dawn-wanderer-chronicles-1-theodore-brun/feed/05088https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/06/review-mighty-dawn-wanderer-chronicles-1-theodore-brun/Dragons & Jetpacks: Books of the Month, July 2017http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RinnReads/~3/TLoGdJIsAdw/
https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/02/dragons-jetpacks-books-month-july-2017/#commentsSun, 02 Jul 2017 11:20:42 +0000https://rinnreads.co.uk/?p=5084Dragons & Jetpacks is a science fiction and fantasy bookgroup, based on Goodreads. The group is open to all, all that is required is a Goodreads account. We read two books a month, one fantasy and one sci-fi – the second week of each month is when members make suggestions, and the third is used […]]]>

Dragons & Jetpacks is a science fiction and fantasy bookgroup, based on Goodreads. The group is open to all, all that is required is a Goodreads account. We read two books a month, one fantasy and one sci-fi – the second week of each month is when members make suggestions, and the third is used for voting. We’re always happy to meet fellow fans of the genres, so you’re more than welcome to join the group!

Area X has been cut off from the rest of the continent for decades. Nature has reclaimed the last vestiges of human civilization. The first expedition returned with reports of a pristine, Edenic landscape; all the members of the second expedition committed suicide; the third expedition died in a hail of gunfire as its members turned on one another; the members of the eleventh expedition returned as shadows of their former selves, and within months of their return, all had died of aggressive cancer.

This is the twelfth expedition.

Their group is made up of four women: an anthropologist; a surveyor; a psychologist, the de facto leader; and our narrator, a biologist. Their mission is to map the terrain and collect specimens; to record all their observations, scientific and otherwise, of their surroundings and of one another; and, above all, to avoid being contaminated by Area X itself.

They arrive expecting the unexpected, and Area X delivers—they discover a massive topographic anomaly and life forms that surpass understanding—but it’s the surprises that came across the border with them, and the secrets the expedition members are keeping from one another, that change everything.

Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best — the meanest, dirtiest, most feared crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld.

Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk – or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay’s door with a plea for help. His daughter Rose is trapped in a city besieged by an enemy one hundred thousand strong and hungry for blood. Rescuing Rose is the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for.

It’s time to get the band back together for one last tour across the Wyld.

Have you read either of this month’s picks? What did you think?

]]>https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/02/dragons-jetpacks-books-month-july-2017/feed/15084https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/07/02/dragons-jetpacks-books-month-july-2017/Thoughts #61: The State of the Bloghttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RinnReads/~3/8-lvqCwkChg/
https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/05/13/thoughts-61-state-blog/#commentsSat, 13 May 2017 12:25:18 +0000https://rinnreads.co.uk/?p=5078Hello, lovely followers! I am sorry that I have abandoned you for so long. As you may now, in March I moved to a new city and began a new job. I have my own little flat (which I love!), really enjoy the job (working in university admissions), and I’m living in a gorgeous city. […]]]>

Hello, lovely followers! I am sorry that I have abandoned you for so long. As you may now, in March I moved to a new city and began a new job. I have my own little flat (which I love!), really enjoy the job (working in university admissions), and I’m living in a gorgeous city.

And whilst I’ve read quite a bit, thanks to my commute and lunch break, I’ve not really been sharing my thoughts so much. Over the past year or so, my love and passion for book blogging has waned. If that wasn’t already obvious. And I know it’s the same story for many of you bloggers out there, in fact a lot of the bloggers I met when I first started blogging nearly six (!) years ago no longer seem to be around.

Now, this is not a ‘this is the end’ post. This is more of a ‘things are going to be a little slower around here’ post. I don’t like the thought of giving up on the blog; it’s a huge part of my identity (I feel like ‘book blogger’ is one of my big defining characteristics, and it’s actually also a pretty nice ice-breaker!) and I am way too proud of it to just give it up. But I put unnecessary pressure on myself to get things done, even when I don’t want to.

So it’s time for a change. If I want to post, I post. If I don’t feel like it for a few weeks, I won’t. Simple. I just wanted to let you know, as so many of you have been following me for nearly my entire journey, and I don’t want you to think I’ve just disappeared.

I’ll start off with catching up on reviews (five or six review copies read since March and not reviewed oops), and then move onto other posts when I feel like it. Maybe I could even start posting more about comparisons between The Lord of the Rings Online and Tolkien’s works, since I’ve starting playing it again – and we’re getting Mordor this summer.

See you around, lovelies!

Are you also a fellow blogger who is struggling to stay motivated? What do you do in these situations?

]]>https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/05/13/thoughts-61-state-blog/feed/175078https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/05/13/thoughts-61-state-blog/Monthly Roundup: March 2017http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RinnReads/~3/UfGBeuXeDgk/
https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/04/13/monthly-roundup-march-2017/#commentsThu, 13 Apr 2017 19:09:48 +0000https://rinnreads.co.uk/?p=5059Every first Wednesday of the month, I’ll be posting a roundup of the month just gone, including discussing books read that month, challenge progress, and a summary of all posts for the month. Last month I read a total of fifteen books: Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1) by Mark Lawrence, How To Be […]]]>

Every first Wednesday of the month, I’ll be posting a roundup of the month just gone, including discussing books read that month, challenge progress, and a summary of all posts for the month.

March was an odd month for reading. Before I moved, I wanted to read a load of books from my pile of ‘read then donate’ books – these are ones that I’ve probably bought second-hand and don’t reckon I’ll love enough to keep. I was definitely right, and found myself with quite a few disappointing reads. However, this did mean that I got quite a lot of reading done, and managed to squeeze fifteen books into the month!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve now moved and started a new job. This is one of my first posts in two weeks or so, and posts might be slow for a bit, just while I’m getting used to everything. However I’ve got some recently read review copies, so hopefully I’ll be sharing my thoughts on those soon.

Challenge progress:

I have currently read 44 books towards my Goodreads goal of 52. Still unsure whether to raise this when I hit it, or not…

Other posts on the blog this month:

How was March for you?

]]>https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/04/13/monthly-roundup-march-2017/feed/35059https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/04/13/monthly-roundup-march-2017/Dragons & Jetpacks: Books of the Month, April 2017http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RinnReads/~3/jlPCRtC0iEQ/
https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/04/09/dragons-jetpacks-books-month-april-2017/#respondSun, 09 Apr 2017 11:01:33 +0000https://rinnreads.co.uk/?p=5056Dragons & Jetpacks is a science fiction and fantasy bookgroup, based on Goodreads. The group is open to all, all that is required is a Goodreads account. We read two books a month, one fantasy and one sci-fi – the second week of each month is when members make suggestions, and the third is used […]]]>

Dragons & Jetpacks is a science fiction and fantasy bookgroup, based on Goodreads. The group is open to all, all that is required is a Goodreads account. We read two books a month, one fantasy and one sci-fi – the second week of each month is when members make suggestions, and the third is used for voting. We’re always happy to meet fellow fans of the genres, so you’re more than welcome to join the group!

In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo’s CosoNostra Pizza Inc., but in the Metaverse he’s a warrior prince. Plunging headlong into the enigma of a new computer virus that’s striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain threatening to bring about infocalypse.

Vin, the street urchin who has grown into the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and Elend Venture, the idealistic young nobleman who loves her, must build a healthy new society in the ashes of an empire. Three separate armies attack. As the siege tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

Have you read either of this month’s picks? What did you think?

]]>https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/04/09/dragons-jetpacks-books-month-april-2017/feed/05056https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/04/09/dragons-jetpacks-books-month-april-2017/Off On A New Adventure!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RinnReads/~3/aSU0aTOZ0qY/
https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/03/21/off-new-adventure/#commentsTue, 21 Mar 2017 13:30:44 +0000https://rinnreads.co.uk/?p=5052Today I am moving to a new city, to my very own flat (yippee!), and tomorrow I start a new job. I am so, so excited – I’ve been unemployed since Christmas, and it has been boring. But now I finally have something – it’s not a museum job, but it’s a different career path […]]]>

Today I am moving to a new city, to my very own flat (yippee!), and tomorrow I start a new job. I am so, so excited – I’ve been unemployed since Christmas, and it has been boring. But now I finally have something – it’s not a museum job, but it’s a different career path that I’m definitely interested in, so fingers crossed.

I’ll be internet-less for a little bit, so don’t expect any posts/social media activity until at least the weekend, but also I may not post for a short while whilst I’m getting settled and exploring my new home. See you all soon!

]]>https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/03/21/off-new-adventure/feed/165052https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/03/21/off-new-adventure/Review: Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1) by Mark Lawrencehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RinnReads/~3/Lv6qzx5RCbw/
https://rinnreads.co.uk/2017/03/18/review-red-sister-book-ancestor-1-mark-lawrence/#commentsSat, 18 Mar 2017 13:30:12 +0000https://rinnreads.co.uk/?p=5035I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Red Sister by Mark LawrenceSeries:Book of the Ancestor #1Published byHarper Voyager on 4th April 2017 Genres:Fantasy, FictionPages: 512 Format:PaperbackSource: the author Goodreads

I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin.

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.

But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse.

Stolen from the shadow of the noose, Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon a crumbling empire, Nona Grey must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a deadly assassin if she is to survive…

Red Sister is the third of Mark Lawrence’s books that I’ve read – and you know what they say, third time lucky. That was definitely the case here, as I completely fell in love with the book. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Prince of Thorns, which I read with my online book group, but I enjoyed Prince of Fools a lot more. However, Red Sister just completely blew me away.

I can’t resist a good origin story, nor stories containing assassins, and Red Sister is both of these. It follows a young girl called Nona, who ends up at the Convent of Sweet Mercy after several unfortunate events. However, this is not any old convent, and the Sisters are not normal nuns. Many are ‘Red Sisters’, trained in the arts of fighting, and this is what Nona is on the path to become. Just look at this opening line:

It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size.

Doesn’t that just intrigue you? I read the first 170 pages of the book in one sitting, absolutely enthralled by the world Lawrence had created, and what Nona was going through. Nona as a character is quite mysterious for much of the novel, she is perhaps almost as unfamiliar to the reader as she is to her classmates, but that certainly kept me reading. One of the things that made me eager to read this book was that it was centered around female characters, rather than a largely male cast. And within this cast of women and girls, there are some fantastic characters. Nona’s friends and their relationships are great, with rivalries soon becoming friendships. The Nuns are an interesting bunch – some kind, others cruel – so basically just like real teachers!

I have to admit that when I first started reading the book, I hadn’t realised that the protagonist was so young. However, this was not an issue – she therefore has plenty of room to develop, and due to the conditions in which she has grown up, she is very headstrong and mature for her age. I suppose in the sort of world that many of them have grown up in, childhood ends very early. The book is quite slow, and not much really happened in terms of ‘big’ events during the first half. This, to me, was actually pretty perfect. It meant I really got to explore the world Lawrence had created, learn along with Nona and her friends, and I got to see more of the ‘school’ setting (another story element I love!). There were flashes of the future in between, showing a huge and possibly catastrophic event, which only made me want to read even faster, even more in one setting to find out how this could happen.

Overall, Red Sister was an absolutely fantastic read, definitely one of the best series openers I have read in a while, and one of my top reads of 2017 thus far. Mark Lawrence has created something completely different from his other books with this series, so even if you did not get along with his other work I would absolutely recommend that you try Red Sister. If it’s already on your ‘to read’ list, then hurry up and grab a copy! I’m already anticipating book two, but looks like I’ll be waiting a while – so maybe I’ll continue on with Lawrence’s The Red Queen’s War series, to tide me over.

I also just want to extend my thanks to Mark Lawrence himself, who got in touch with me via Facebook to offer me a (signed!) ARC. I was ecstatic to receive this message, and so glad for the opportunity to read this book. I also need to thank Mark for being responsible for quite a bit of my blog traffic – a while ago he linked to my review of Prince of Fools on Reddit, as a review by someone who enjoyed the book but did not like Prince of Thorns. I’m still receiving blog traffic from that Reddit post, so thank you, Mark!